Gewaltverbrechen als thema des Spätarturischen romans sozialkritisches in Wirnts von Grafenberg Wigalois

Contrary to traditional assumptions, Wirnt von Grafenberg's Arthurian romance Wigalois emerges as a remarkable and surprisingly independent thirteenth-century epic poem that considerably transcends the norms of the «classical» Middle High German period. Instead of concentrating on the protagonist and the development of his personality and character who has to prove himself socially and individualistically, constantly watching the balance of private and public life, Wigalois's main task consists of confronting violent perpetrators and reconstituting law and order in his country. Certainly, he also fights against traditional monsters, giants, and hellish figures, but his central challenge concerns the protection of innocent and helpless victims. In this sense, Wirnt's hitherto little appreciated verse romance can be described as a fascinating fictional platform for the public discourse of violence and its disastrous consequences for society as a whole.